I caught my breath at the ruthless expression on Rebel's chiseled features, the hardness that had turned his eyes into a rigid, ice blue that could stab right through an opponent. He met my gaze and gave me a wink. His close proximity forced Chuck to take a step forward so that Rebel could enter the bar. I felt the arm around my body slacken and I eagerly stepped away.
"Take his gun, sweetheart." I snatched the weapon out of Chuck's hand and moved far enough away so that he couldn't reach me. "You alone here?"
"No."
Hearing us, Vinny and Stevie slowly rose to their feet.
The sirens drew closer.
"Fuck, man, am I glad to see you," Vinny said in a familiar tone that revealed that he knew Rebel. "You have a way of showing up when I need you the most." He turned toward Stevie. Her color had returned, but she still held a tight grip on the slightly bloody bat in her hands. Vinny pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. "Go wait for me back in my office, babe. Relax and catch your breath." She gave him a smile of gratitude and disappeared.
"You're going to have to start paying me for my services," Rebel joked with a grin, forcing Chuck face first against the wall. "Put your hands on the wall above your head, asshole." Chuck complied. "Move and it will be your last," Rebel threatened. He looked back at Vinny.
"Robbery?" Vinny nodded, reaching down for the man at his feet. "Yeah, bastards thought it was going to be easy." He dragged him around the bar and dumped him onto the floor. Stevie had done a number on him, I was proud of her. That reminded me that she was alone in Vinny's office.
"I should go to Stevie."
"You're coming with me." Rebel took me by the hand, took the gun out of my other hand, and walked me over to Vinny, handing him the weapon. "The cops will be here any second, and I'd rather not hang around to answer any questions."
Vinny's brows furrowed as his gaze shot back and forth between me and Rebel. "You two know each other?"
"Yeah." Rebel didn't elaborate. "I'll see that Ginger gets home, that's where I'll be staying. We'll talk tomorrow."
I could see that Vinny had questions, but there was no time. The screech of tires outside the bar revealed that the cops had arrived, just as we were stepping out the back door into the darkness.